We each received five darts. Kyron went first.

As expected, he focused on the target and threw the dart quickly and lightly.

A balloon popped instantly, struck dead-on. Honestly, compared to hitting the bullseye on a target like he had done before, this seemed far too easy for him.

Kyron gave up his spot to me.

I stood in the exact spot where he had been standing and threw the dart with all my strength. I tried to follow what I had learned last time, but it didn’t seem to make much of a difference.

“Hmm…”

My dart failed to hit the balloon.

The booth owner, who had clearly assessed my lack of skill, made a new suggestion.

“Your Grace, perhaps you might want to try the booth next door, which is relatively easier than this one?”

I couldn’t feel humiliated because I was well aware of my own lack of skill.

“Is there an easier booth next door?”

“Yes. It’s a booth where the distance is shorter, and the balloons are spaced closer together.”

In that case, I should head there.

“Are you going to stay here?”

I asked Kyron.

“Do they offer the same prizes at the other booth?”

Surprisingly, Kyron seemed more interested in the prizes and asked the booth owner about them.

“The prizes are a bit smaller since the difficulty is lower. Mostly candy.”

Candy or stuffed toys—neither seemed to matter to him. I found it odd that he cared enough to ask about the prizes.

“I’ll stay here. You can go over there.”

“Yeah, I think it would be too boring for you if it got any easier.”

With that, I moved to the booth next door. Although it was right next to the first booth, the tent blocked my view of Kyron’s booth.

As I had heard, the distance here was shorter, making it seem more manageable.

I probably wouldn’t win a stuffed toy, but at least I could aim for some candy.

I adjusted my stance and focused on the target.

Just as I was about to throw the dart—

“Ekette.”

A sudden voice called out to me.

Right at the moment when I was concentrating on my throw, someone called my name.

Damn it. Because of that, my dart missed again.

Who was it?

I turned my head sharply toward the uninvited guest who had ruined my throw.

“How have you been?”

I wanted to blame them for making me miss, but their overly cheerful smile stopped me in my tracks.

Uh… huh…?

This harmless, soft-looking man was…?

“Why are you just standing there? Say something.”

The man chuckled and urged me to respond.

Hearing his voice a little more, I remembered. Memories of Ekette’s childhood surged through my mind like a storm. This person was her childhood friend.

“L-Louie?”

Louie was a friend who had played with Ekette in their hometown since they were about six or seven years old.

Louie was the young master of a baron’s family. Since his house was close to Ekette’s and they were of a similar age, they naturally became friends.

“Are you surprised because I showed up out of nowhere?”

“You… you…”

The only word that left my mouth was “you.”

Seeing me gape like a fish, Louie smiled brightly again.

“I guess you’re shocked because I came without saying anything.”

“Uh… yeah. What brings you here?”

Louie didn’t seem to mind my awkward reaction.

“I came to see you.”

His answer was so transparent that it left no room for doubt.

“To see me? Then… are you staying here for a few days?”

“Yeah. I’m staying at a hotel down that alley.”

He pointed toward an alley, where I could faintly see a hotel sign in the distance.

“How are you doing these days? Are you okay? I heard you were unwell at the banquet last time. That’s why I thought I should come and see you. Since there’s a festival happening now, I figured this was the perfect time to visit.”

Ah, the banquet.

Come to think of it, after the banquet, I had received a letter from my hometown asking if I was feeling better. I had replied that I was doing fine, but Louie had decided to come and check on me in person.

“The royal hospital’s doctor visits regularly to check on me. I’m also taking medicine.”

“Is it something serious?”

His expression turned quite serious.

“It’s nothing like that. See? I’m perfectly fine and even enjoying the festival right now.”

“Really? You’re not lying, are you?”

“Of course not. Would I lie to you?”

“Well, if it’s a doctor from the royal hospital, then I suppose they’re trustworthy. That’s a relief. Honestly, I didn’t tell your parents, but there’s a rumor back in Avriel…”

Louie paused for a moment.

“…that the Duke treated you coldly, and that’s why you fell ill.”

So even my hometown had heard such rumors. Despite the distance, gossip traveled incredibly fast.

“That’s not why I got sick. It has nothing to do with my husband.”

Since this was the truth, I answered firmly. However, Louie seemed to think I was just saying it to reassure him.

“Yeah, I hope that’s true.”

He shifted his gaze to the darts I was holding.

“Have you been throwing darts?”

“Oh, uh, yeah.”

“You’ve never been good at this kind of thing.”

“True. I think I’ve already messed it up.”

“That’s so you.”

He chuckled softly.

“Because of your sudden appearance, I’ve already wasted one chance.”

I pointed to the dart lying on the ground, playfully pretending to scold him.

“Was that my fault? Sorry about that. Then, since it’s my fault, I’ll help you with the remaining chances.”

“Huh?”

“I’m better at this kind of thing than you are.”

Louie stepped closer.

“From what I saw earlier, your stance was all wrong.”

He grabbed my hand, which was holding the dart, and corrected my posture—just like Kyron had done for me before.

“Do you remember that time? When you threw the ball wrong and gave me a black eye?”

Louie brought up a childhood memory. Hearing his words, one of Ekette’s old memories surfaced in my mind.

We had been playing catch with a small ball, and I had accidentally thrown it wrong, hitting Louie in the eye. He had cried so much back then.

As I compared the young Louie, who had cried his eyes out, to the grown-up Louie, who was now confidently adjusting my dart-throwing stance, a smile crept across my face.

I chuckled softly. When I laughed, Louie laughed along with me.

For a moment, I imagined how the original Ekette might have reacted upon seeing Louie here.

He must have been the only person who truly understood her.

“Ekette.”

Louie, who had been laughing, suddenly turned serious.

“Your husband… he’s really treating you well, right?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. At the last banquet, His Majesty even gave us the Best Couple Award.”

“Really?”

Louie didn’t seem to put much trust in the Best Couple Award given by the Emperor. Perhaps the infamous subjectivity of that award had reached even our hometown.

“But if things ever get too hard, come back to Avriel. We’ll always welcome you with open arms.”

Louie smiled warmly, his expression full of reassurance.